Apparatus for the production of a flowable mixture which reacts to form foam from flowable components stored in storage containers

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for the production of a flowable mixture which reacts to form foam from flowable components stored in storage containers, wherein prior to metered introduction into a mixing zone, at least one of the components is charged with a defined quantity of gas, by (i) introducing said one component and gas separately into a gasification chamber equipped with a hollow stirrer, (ii) sucking gas into said component through the hollow shaft of the hollow stirrer, and (iii) stirring the gas into the component, until the desired value is attained, the improvement wherein (a) the component is circulated from the storage container through the gasification chamber and back into the storage container, (b) the gas sucked through the hollow shaft of the hollow stirrer being maintained at pressure at least equal to the pressure prevailing in the storage container, and (c) the component fraction remaining in the storage container is homogenized during those periods in which gasification does not take place.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for producing a flowable mixture which reacts to form foam from flowable components, comprising storage containers and a supply system comprising supply lines leading from the storage containers via metering pumps to a mixing head, the supply system of at least one component being provided with a gasification device having a stirrer mechanism container equipped with a hollow stirrer as well as a gas content measuring device which is connected to the stirrer drive of the hollow stirrer via a pulse switching device and the hollow stirrer has a suction opening wherein said stirrer mechanism container is arranged in a circulating line leaving the storage container and reentering it, in which circulating line a conveying pump is provided and wherein the suction opening of the hollow stirrer is provided with a gas supply line, each said storage container containing a stirrer mechanism. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply line is connected to the storage container. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas supply line is connected to an external gas source. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the gas supply line is provided with a pressure regulator having a connection to the section of the circulating line leading into the storage container. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the gas supply line and the section of the circulating line arranged between the stirrer mechanism container and the storage container are joined to each other via a pressure-balancing piston. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circulating line enters the stirrer mechanism container at the level of the stirring element of the hollow stirrer. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a rinsing line leads back to the storage container from the base of the stirrer mechanism container, the base being arranged above the maximum filling level of the storage container.